Key holding apparel belt



April 21, 1964 M. R. coNE 3,129,862

KEY HOLDING APPAREL BELT Filed Nov. 2, 1959 IN V EN TOR.

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United States Patent O M 3,129,862 KEY HLDING APPAREL BELT Melvin R. Cone, 1527 W. Pratt St., Chicago, Ill. Filed Nov. 2, 1959, Ser. No. 850,344 1 Claim. (Cl. 224 5) This invention relates to improvements in apparel belts adapted to hold household and other keys.

Various constructions for key holding apparel belts have heretofore been proposed, but they have not been satisfactory from many standpoints. Thus, for example, certain of them have been so constructed as to limit their key carrying capacity to only a single key and access thereto has been cumbersome. In other cases, the key-carrying belt has been bulky, unsightly and in no way having the appearance of a conventional dress belt.

It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide a key holding apparel belt which can accommodate a relatively large number of keys in a manner where the keys may be readily removed from the belt one at a time.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a key holding apparel belt as above described wherein the keys will be iirmly retained in the belt despite the fact that they are readily accessible and can be easily removed from the belt.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a key holding apparel belt as above described where the key holding portion of the belt is compact and substantially free from bulkiness in relation to the number of keys supported thereby, which can be Worn with comfort and which can be worn as a conventional dress belt.

A further object of the invention is to provide an attachment for a conventional apparel belt which converts the same to a key holding belt which satisfies the various aforesaid objectives of the invention.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an apparel belt or an attachment therefor as above described which is of simple and economical construction.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the key holding apparel belt or the attachment therefor includes a first layer of material on the outside of the belt having a series of longitudinally spaced key shank-receiving apertures preferably adapted to receive keys oriented longitudinally of the belt. In the most advantageous form of the invention, the apertures are spaced closer together than the length of the keys with which they are to be used, so that the keys may be supported in a compact, longitudinally overlapped relation. A second layer of material is provided behind the apertured portion of the first layer, the second layer being unsecured to the lirst layer in the region of said apertures to provide clearance spaces or pockets for the shanks of the keys oriented longitudinally of the belt and passing through the aforesaid apertures frorn the outside of the belt. The apertures are sized to prevent passage of the enlarged heads of the keys, so that the key heads remain on the outside of the belt where they are readily accessible. A cover ap is provided which preferably is extendable downwardly from the belt adjacent the apertures. Normally, the closure flap is folded up over the front of the key apertures to hide the keys from View and to help retain the keys within the apertures. Fastening means are provided for holding the cover flap in its key covering position, such means preferably being at the ends of the cover flap so as to close olf the ends thereof through which keys may otherwise fall in the remote possibility that they should be shaken loose from the key shank-receiving apertures.

Other objects, advantages and features of the invention will become apparent upon making reference to the 3,l29,82 Patented Apr. 21, 1964 ICC specification to follow, the claim and the drawings where- 1n:

FIG. 1 is a perspective View of one form of key holding apparel belt made in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view of the key holding portion of the belt shown in FIG. l, with the cover ap pulled down to expose the keys;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged transverse vertical section through the key holding portion of the belt shown in FIG. 1, taken along section lines 3 3 therein;

FIG. 4 is a greatly enlarged horizontal transverse section through the key holding portion of the belt of FIG. l, taken along section line 4 4 and showing the keys supported in overlapped relation;

FIG. 5 is a view of a modified form of the invention comprising a key holding attachment carried by a conventional apparel belt;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged transverse vertical section through the assembly shown in FIG. 5, taken along section line 6 6 therein;

FIG. 7 is a view of the key holding attachment of FIG. 5 with the cover flap in its opened position; and

FIG. 8 is a greatly enlarged horizontal transverse section through the key holding portion of the belt of FIG. 5, taken along section line 8 3 and showing the keys supported in overlapped relation.

Referring now to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 4, the key holding apparel belt there shown comprises a belt body 4 made of leather or similar material. The outer face 5 of the belt body may be nshed in any suitable color whereas the inner face 5 thereof may be unfinished. The belt body, for the most part, may be constructed in the conventional manner and includes the usual belt buckle 6 secured to one end thereof with a tongue 7 adapted to extend through one of a number of tongue-receiving holes 8 at the other end of the belt. The usual belt holding loop 1t) is provided for receiving the portion of the belt extending beyond the buckle 6.

In accordance with the present invention, a series of longitudinally spaced, key shank-receiving apertures 12a and 12b is formed in the internal portion of the belt preferably near the end of the belt body 4 containing the buckle 6 and just beyond the apertured end portion 9 of the belt when the belt is in its abdomen-circling position shown -in FIG. l. Six such apertures are shown in the illustrative embodiment of the invention for holding six keys, three of the apertures 12a being grouped together and spaced from the other similarly grouped apertures 12b to provide space for a central male snap fastener element 13 secured to the outer face of the belt body. The function of the male fastener element 13 will be discussed later on in the specification. A pair of similar outer male snap fastener elements 14-14 are positioned on the outer face of the belt body 4 on opposite ends of the apertures 12a and 12b.

As shown most clearly in FIG. 2, the adjacent key shank-receiving apertures of each group 12a and 12b are spaced closer together than the length of the keys 15 to be carried by the belt. The keys are shown as conventional flat household or car keys having narrow Shanks 16 and enlarged heads 18. The apertures 12a and 12b are most advantageously narrow, transversely elongated apertures which readily receive the key Shanks 16 when the keys are oriented longitudinally of the belt. The length of each aperture is less than the width of the associated key head 18 so that the key cannot pass completely therethrough.

To complete the key holding portion of the belt, a panel 22 of leather or similar material having an outer face 22 finished to match that of the outer face of the belt body is secured to the rear face of the belt body 4. The panel 22 may be of a generally rectangular shape with the short dimension thereof being in the neighborhood of twice the Width of the belt body. The upper half 22a of the panel 22 may be secured as by stitching 23 to the rear of the belt body. The stitching extends along the opposite longitudinal margins of the belt body 4 and also along the transverse or end margins of the panel so that the upper portion 22a of the panel is secured to the belt body along a rectangle encircling the area including the key shankreceiving apertures 12a and 12b. There is thus provided between the belt body 4, which is sometimes referred to asY a first layer of the belt, and the upper portion of the panel 22, which is sometimes referred to as a second layer of the belt, a large rectangular pocket providing clearance spaces for receiving the the Shanks 16 of the keys 15.

As shown most clearly in FIGS. 2 and 4, the keys are preferably positioned within the key shank-receiving apertures with their shanks extending in the same direction, so that the keys are in a compact overlapped relationship. Since the heads 18 of the keys are wider than the length of the apertures 12a and 12b, it is apparent that the keys cannot slip completely within the belt, so that they are readily accessible for individual removal from the belt.

The bottom half 2lb of the panel 22 forms a cover flap which, in the opened position thereof, extends transversely downwardly from the main belt body 4. The stitching 23 at the juncture between the bottom and upper halves of the panel 22 forms a hinge line along which the cover fiap may be folded to bring the same in covering relationship over the key shank-receiving apertures 12a and 12b, as shown in FIG. 1. The cover flap is provided on its inner face 22 with female snap fastenerreceiving socket elements 24-24 and 26 in positions corresponding to the male snap fastener elements 14-14 and 13 on the main belt body 4. Except when access to the keys is desired, the cover flap is maintained in its closed position where it bears against the outer faces of the heads of the keys 15, so as to hide them from view and aid in keeping the same within the key shank-receiving apertures 12a and 12b. If a key should accidentally shake loose from one of the apertures 12a or 12b, it merely drops into the pocket 25 (FIG. 3) formed by the cover flap. The key cannot fall from the ends of the pocket since the pocket ends are closed oit by the endmost fastener elements 14-14 and 24-24.

It is apparent that to gain access to the keys it is merely necessary to open the cover flap, grasp the readily acthrough 8 and identied by reference numeral 28 is prov vided. In the manner to be described, the attachment 28 is slidable over a conventional belt body generally indicated by reference numeral 4. The attachment 23 may be made from a single panelof'leather or similar material which is finished on the normally exposed outer surfaces thereof to match the color of the belt With which it is to be used. The panel 30 has upper and lower end portions 30a and 30b and an intermediate portion 39e. The upper end portion 39a of the panel 30 is folded inwardly so that the finished side thereof faces forwardly, and the bottom margin thereof is secured as by stitching along the bottom end portion 3011 of the panel 30 forms a cover flap which performs a function similar to the cover iiap 2219 previously described in connection with the embodiment of FIGS. 1 through 4. The forwardly facing side of the folded over portion 30a of the panel 30 is provided with male snap fastener elements 13 and 14-14 corresponding to the snap fastener elements 13 and 14-14 in the embodiment of the invention show in FIGS. 1-4. Likewise, the normally inner or rearwardly facing side of the cover flap 36h is provided with snap fastener-receiving socket elements 24-24' and 26' corresponding to the snap fastener elements 24-24 and 26 in the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 1-4. The folded over portion 30a of the panel Sil is provided with narrow, transversely elongated key shank-receiving apertures 12a' and 12b corresponding to the apertures 12a and 12b previously described.

In both embodiments of the present invention, the compact key holding portion of the belt is located along the front portion of the wearers abdomen where he can see and readily gain access to any of the keys when the cover ap is opened. A key may be similarly easily inserted within one of the available key shank-receiving apertures of the belt. Once the cover flap 22b or 3017 has been fastened in its closed position, the keys are securely held upon and within the belt. The extreme simplicity of the present invention results in a very economical addition -to or modification of a conventional belt.

It should be understood that numerous modifications may be made of the preferred forms of the invention above described without deviating from the broader aspects of the invention.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

In combination, an elongated apparel belt comprising a belt body adapted to extend around the users abdomen, a series of longitudinally spaced key shank-receiving apertures formed in the internal portions of said belt body adjacent to one end thereof so as to be located at the front portion of the users body, a backing panel of substantially imperforate material secured behind the por- Ition of said belt body including said key shank-receiving apertures so as to close off the rear thereof, said panel of material being permanently secured to said belt body only at the longitudinal margins of the belt body and the transverse ends of said panel, whereby the panel is unsecured to the belt body in the internal portion thereof where said key shank-receiving apertures are located, to provide clearance spaces for the Shanks of keys passing through said apertures from the outside of the belt, said apertures having lengths transversely of the belt which are less than the Widths of the enlarged head portions of keys to be used therewith so that the heads of the keys will remain on the outside of the belt, said backing panel including a flap extendable downwardly from said belt body and being foldable over said key shank-receiving apertures from the bottom of the belt, and cooperating fastening means on said cover flap and the belt body on opposite sides of said key shank-receiving apertures for releasably holding said cover flap in its key covering position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,599,920 Pryor Sept. 14, 1926 1,703,139 Falcone et al Feb. 26, 1929 2,714,479 ZeitzeW Aug. 2, 1955 2,827,214 Lutz Mar. 18, 1958 2,915,099 Gates Dec. l, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 25,564 Great Britain Dec. 14, 1901 

